-ish

¹

1. a suffix used to form adjectives from nouns, with the sense of “belonging to” (British; Danish; English; Spanish ); “after the manner of,” “having the characteristics of,” “like” (babyish; girlish; mulish ); “addicted to,” “inclined or tending to” (bookish; freakish ); “near or about” (fiftyish; sevenish ).

2. a suffix used to form adjectives from other adjectives, with the sense of “somewhat,” “rather” (oldish; reddish; sweetish ).

-ish

²

1. a suffix occurring in i -stem verbs borrowed from French.

   ravish.

ish

³

[ish]

adverb

Informal.

1. (used to modify or moderate something previously stated or as a vague reply to a question) somewhat; in a way; not exactly: “Are you tired?” “Yeah...ish.”

   It's a decent (ish) place to work.

   “Are you tired?” “Yeah...ish.”

   I'd like to get married. Ish.

2. near or about; approximately: It'll be a $25ish taxi ride.

   The lights went out at 11-ish.

   It'll be a $25ish taxi ride.

-ish

¹

suffix

1. of or belonging to a nationality or group

   Scottish

2. derogatory,  having the manner or qualities of; resembling

   slavish

   prudish

   boyish

3. somewhat; approximately

   yellowish

   sevenish

4. concerned or preoccupied with

   bookish

ish

²

/ ɪʃ /

1. slang,  used to express reservation or qualified assent

   Things are looking up. Ish

Word History and Origins

Origin of -ish¹

Middle English; Old English -isc; cognate with German -isch, Old Norse -iskr, Gothic -isks, Greek diminutive noun suffix -isk(os); akin to -esque

Origin of -ish²

From French -iss-, extended stem of verbs with infinitives in -ir, ultimately from Latin -isc-, in verbs that express the beginning of an action or process

Origin of -ish³

First recorded in 1985–90; from -ish ¹ ( def. ) (in the sense “somewhat”)

Word History and Origins

Origin of -ish¹

Old English -isc; related to German -isch, Greek -iskos

Example Sentences

It turned out they were - ish.

Read more on BBC

As if to prove it, she recently made her film debut in Ish – the story of two best friends whose friendship is tested by an ugly and heavy-handed police stop and search.

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“It’s a little bit L.A.-ish,” Giordano said.

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Baking with Ish offers a Ube Tiramisu Icebox Pie as a raffle prize.

Read more on Salon

“It’s round. It has a dough on the outside, almost like a pizza dough, kind of like, ish, thing. Inside is pasta and meatballs and salami. And then baked. And then, like with this,” he pauses, gently turning his hands, “flipped.”

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